Course description

Introduction to Human Development provides a broad and foundational overview of field of human development, starting from conception and ending through process of death and dying. The course will start with an outline and explanation of the lifespan perspective in human development. The biological beginnings of life and prenatal development will serve as the start of the discussion of human development, followed by an exploration of physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development at each subsequent stage within the lifespan (e.g., infancy, early childhood, middle & late childhood, etc.). Discussion of each developmental stage will highlight major research findings and their real-world application.

Outcome 1: Develop a broad but strong base of knowledge surrounding the field of human development and how human development research is conducted.

Outcome 2: Be able to read and understand, critically think about current research in the field of human development and how research can be applied to the real world.

Outcome 3: Gain an understanding about the different developmental stages and what kind of change is occurring across the domains of physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development.

Outcome 4: Consider your beliefs about development before the course and reconsider the beliefs that are not supported by research.

Outcome 5: Find this class fun and interesting, taking what you learned from the course and be able to apply it in your daily life!

Forbidden Overlap: due to an overlap in content, students will receive credit for only one course in the following group: HD 1130, HD 1150, HD 1170, PSYCH 1131.

Summer 2025: Online course

Summer 2025: Online course